Machine for sealing bottles.



No. 734,031. 7 PATEN-TED JULY 21, 1903.

N. B. ABBOTTA: G. J. MARKS.-,

- MACHINE FOR -SE A'LINGBUTTLES v 7 APPLICATION FILED 001229 1902. 1 I no MODEL. 4 sums-sum 1.

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110434031. PATENTED JULY 21,1903.

- N. B. ABBOTT s c. J. MARKS.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED 00129. 1902. no noun. I sums-sum 2.

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No; 734,031. PATENTED' JULY 21,-1903.

' N. B. ABBOTT & c. J. MARKS. I

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES. APPLICATION FILED 00'1. 2 9. 1902.

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N. B. ABBOTT 65 c. J. MARKS. MACHINE FOR SEALING -BOTTLBS.

I YAPPLIOATION FILED 001-129. 1902. N0 MODEL. 4 sums-4111:21- 4.

. u. a m: Nouns PETE" cov. "momma WASHINGTON No. 734,031. Patentedi'u lyl, 1903. UNITED STATES PATENT" QFFlCEQ NATHANIEL R. ABBOTT AND CHARLES J. MARKS, OF BALTIMORE, MARY- LAND, AssIeNoRs TO IMPERIAL BOTTLE CAP AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 734,031, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed October 29, 1902. Serial No. 129,210. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Our machine is an improvement of the type Be it known that We,NATHANIEL B.ABBOTT of machine shown in patent to Robert Brass,

and CHARLES J. MARKS,citizens ofthe United No.563,552, dated July 7, 1896.

States, residing at the city ofBaltimore, in the Itis the object of our invented improve- State of Maryland, have jointlyinvented cerments to provide a machine of the general tain new and useful Improvements in Matype referred to that shall be simple in conchines for Sealing Bottles, of which thefolstruction, effective and reliable in operation, lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, and in which the mechanical parts and conreference being bad to the accompanying strnction shall be of such improved character Io drawings, forming a part of this specification. and disposition with respect to each other that Our invention, hereinafter described, rethey will operate rapidly and effectively withlates to machines for sealing bottles by meout liability of breakage or derangement; chanically compressing the sealing-cap upon and with these general objects in view the the bottle-head; and it consists of improved invention consists of the parts and combina- I5 mechanical devicesin amachine of that type tions hereinafter described, and definitely which is especially adapted to fixedly set or pointedont in the claims. seal upon a bottle-head having a neck below I In the drawings, Figure 1 shows in side elethe lip or ring of regular contour, such as a vation ainachine embodying the invention. cylindrical bottle-head or a tapered-neck loot- Figs. 1 andl are detached details, partly in 2o tle, such as shown in patent to Nathaniel B; section, of the clutching mechanism to be de- Abbott, No. 521,752, dated June 19, 1894, a scribed. Fig. 2 is a frontview of the top porhard-metal cap consisting of a circular crown tion of the machine. Fig. 3 is avertical secwith pendent annular flange, by circumfertion of the top portion of the machine on line entially compressing the flange as a' whole ocw,Fig.-2. Fig.4is adetailof thetoggles and 25 and without bending it at any point transadjacent parts. Fig. 5isaplan,partlyin sec- Versely to the line of its length, against the tion, showing the ratchetand-pawl operating regularcontourofthecylindricalorinwardlydevices for turning the sleeve carrying the tapering neck, which extends downwardly compression-jaws. Fig. 6 is a sectional elefrom the outer peripheral edge of the rim or vation of the bottle-supporting devices, and

30 lip of the bottle. Our machine may,however, Fig. 7 is a detached detail plan view of the be supplied with bending-diesin substitution compression-fingers and carrying-spider. for the compressing-jaws shown, the face of Referring to the drawings, A represents which substituted dies may be of a contour to the standard or frame of the machine, proactnally bend the flange at a point or points vided at a suitable position above the base 35 transversely to the direction Of its length or A thereof with an arm A carrying the yielddepth to make it conform to the contour of a ing bottle-supporting devices, such devices bottle-neck having an irregular's'urface or an comprising a hollow sleeve A provided exexterior annular shoulder at some fixed distiorly with a screw-thread a, engaging the tance below the lip of the bottle. Our mainteriorly-screw-threaded clamping-ring A 40 chine as we now use it and as shown in the the said clamping-ring A being preferably drawings has regular-shaped jaws, which are split, as shown in Fig. 6, the adjacent ends adapted only to circuinferentia'lly compress of the ring being outturned-and connected the capfiange as a whole from its junction by a suitable clamping bolt a, providedwith with and below the crown, and 'which'therea handle o by which thebolt' may beeper- 45 fore do not and cannot bend it at any point ated to force together or separate the ends transversely to the line of'its length of depth of the clamping-ring, as will be obvious. or alter its initial contour from that of a cyl- Mounted within the hollow sleeveA is a stem inder other than to that of an inverted frus- A carrying at its upperend a bottle-seat A tum of a cone when the cap is sealed upon a and having its other end extended through 50 bottle of such shapez'. e., taper-necked. the bottom of the sleeve, as shown, a spring a being interposed between the shoulder a on the stem and the bottom of the sleeve to give proper cushioning support to the bottle -seat, the tension of said spring being regulated by suitable set-nuts a a. It will be noted that the arm A in which the sleeve A is mounted acts as a guide and steadying means for the sleeve and is extended downwardly to present a projecting guard for the parts. From this construction of bottle-supporting devices it will be seen that the sleeve A is sustained by the clampingring A, in which it may be adjusted up or down to suit the character and size of bottle being used by merely freeing the clamping action of the ring through the handle a and that the bottle-seat A affords a yielding support of adjustable tension for the bottle at any adjustment of the sleeve.

Extending upward from thetop of the standard or frame A are the bracket-arms B, in which are journaled at b the upper links of the toggle B, the lower links thereof being suitably connected at b 1) to the head l? of a sleeve B adapted to reciprocate in the guide 13, projecting from the standard or frame A. Connecting the upper and lower links of the toggle at their adjacent ends is the joint-pin B to which is joined an arm B from any suitably-operated devices to give the desired motion to the toggle, as will hereinafter appear. In the present embodiment of my invention the operating devices for the arm B and toggles comprise a shaft B having loosely mounted thereon a belt-pulley B provided with a sleeve 13. The sleeve B has suitable engaging projections b adapted to engage the pawl b pivoted on a flange I), carried by or formed integral with shaft B a spring Z2 normally tending to throw the free end of the pawl b into engagement with the projections 19 of the sleeve whenever permitted to act, as will be obvious. In order that the pawl b may remain normally out of engagement with the projections 12 of the sleeve and yet be permitted to engage therewith when desired by the operator, there is mounted in suitable bearings b adjacent the flange 19 a trip If, bearing on the end of pawl b as shown in Figs. 1 and 1", said trip being under the expansion force of a spring b Pivotally secured to the trip at b is a finger b the downturned end of which is normally in engagement with the actuator b mounted on shaft 1) and operative to withdraw the trip I) from its engagement with the pawl by means of a treadle I), through the connection Z9 and arm I), as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 1, and l". The end of the shaft opposite the band-wheel 13 has a crank-pin con-' nection b with the'arm B, and the length of the crank-arm is such that movement will be imparted to the joint-pin B to carry it on either side of the line joining the connections b and b of the toggle with the brackets B and head B of the sleeve B respectively, for a purpose that will hereinafter appear.

Mounted Jp0n the lower end of the sleeve B which will be hereinafter designated as the cone-operating sleeve, there is a cone 0, shown in the present embodiment of our invention as screw-threaded to said sleeve. Mounted within and concentric to the coneoperating sleeve is a second sleeve 0', which will be designated as the jaw-carrying sleeve. Upon its lower end the jaw-carrying sleeve 0 has mounted a spider C having a series of radially-extending arms 0, (see Figs. 3 and 7,) in which are pivotally mounted a plurality of compression-jaws C the said compression-jaws having their upper ends embraced by a spring 0, normally tending to contract or bring together the upper ends of the said jaws and hold them in engagement with the conical base of the cone 0. The lower ends of the compression-jaws have compression-faces 0 adapted to embrace and compress the flange of a bottle-cap properly placed between them.

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent thatif the cone-operating sleeve B be moved downwardly, so as to force the cone 0 between the upper ends of the com pression-jaws, the lower ends of these jaws will be forcibly moved toward each other, and a bottle-cap held therebetween will be correspondingly compressed.

Mounted within and concentric to the jawearrying sleeve 0 is a cap-spindle D, carrying at its lower end a heading-block d, corresponding in shape to the top of the bottleclosing cap and having a shoulder d near its lower end upon which the end of the jawcarrying sleeve may rest.

Pivotally secured at d to the brackets 13, (see Fig. 3,) is the cap-spindle actuator D, having a link connection D with the top of the cap-spindle D. Mounted in the lower links of the toggle B is the roller D which has a bearing on the top surface of the capspindle actuator D, so that as the toggle .is moved by the means hereinbefore described the roller D will move upon the top surface of the actuator D and cause acorresponding depression of the cap-spindle D until the heading-block d has firmly engaged the cap upon the bottle. In order to raise the capspindle and its connected heading-block, a spring D is interposed between the lower surface of the actuator D and the head B of the cone-operating sleeve, said spring being properly guided and connected between the two parts by appropriate studs (1 (See Fig. 3.)

It is esssential that the metallic cap after having its crown well seated on the fiat annular top or rim of the bottle-mouth by vertical pressure applied through the headingblock and cap-spindle shall he held in this position withoutfurther compression, which might tend to either break the bottle or force the bottle-seat lower in its support, and to secure this desired end there is mounted upon the guide B a stationary stud E, which when the actuator D is in its lowest position engages with the end of the actuator and prevents further downward movement of the ac tuator and the connected cap-spindle, and in order that there shall remain a firm holdingcompression between the cap-spindle and bottle-cap as the toggle moves from one to the other side of the line joining the points of toggle connection I) b there is provided in the top surface of the actuator D a curved portion (1 along which the roller D passes during the movement of the toggle, the curvature of the part d being such that the roller D Without further downward compression or movement of the cap-spindle D, holds the same in fixed position.

In the drawings and as an embodiment of the present invention the compression-jaws are composed of six sections, which are shown as grouped upon the spider and held upon the lower end of the jaw-carrying sleeve, and although this number presents a convenient assemblage of jaw-sections it is obvious that the number may be varied either more or less to suit varying circumstances. I These jaw-sections being separate from each other it will follow that between the compressionfaces of adjacent jaw-sections there may be a portion of the bottle-cap not compressed upon the bottle by a single compression of the jaws by the described movement of the cone 0. Arrangement has therefore been made to revolve the jaw-carrying sleevea short distance for a single compression and then to reimpress by a like repeated action of said parts, and to effect this rotation of the jaw-carrying sleeve the following devices have been provided: The upper end of the jaw-carrying sleeve is somewhat enlarged to form a shoulder c which may rest and yet have circular movement upon a seat on the cone-operating sleeve, as will be seen in Fig. 3, and this enlarged head of the jaw-carrying sleeve is provided with ratchet-teeth 0, adapted to be engaged by a pawl 0 pivotally mounted upon a slide 0 The slide 0 is mounted to have transverse movement across the head 6 of the cone-operating sleeve 13 and is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of a spring 0 interposed between the shoulder 0 of the head B and a lip 0 projecting from the slide. Projecting from one side'of the carriage is a roller 0 carried by a suitable stud, which roller is engaged by one arm of a slide-actuating lever E, mounted at e in the end of the cap-spindle actuator D, the other arm of the lever E projecting above its point of connection e and being fitted with an adjusting-screw 6, adapted to engage the pin B connecting the toggle-links when said links are drawn to the right of the line joining the points of connection I) b. Upon contact of the pin B with the adjusting-screw e the slide-actuating lever E will be moved on its pivot e, and the end of the lever bearing against the roller 0 will move the slide 0 and cause the pawl 0 togive rotative movement to the jaw-carrying sleeve C, as will be evident from Figs. 4 and 5, the pawl being held in normal engagement with the ratchet- 'teeth 0 by means of a suitable spring 0 It is desirable that a bottle-cap to be placed upon a bottle may be readily inserted between and held by the compression-faces of the compression-jaws C in order that the cap may be maintained in proper position for placement upon the bottle without the aid of finger manipulation, and to this end there is provided on two or moreof the jaws 0 screws Z,passing through the upper ends of said jaws and contacting at their lower inner ends with the jaw-carrying sleeve 0, whereby the spring 0 may not spread the lower ends of the jaws provided with such screws to such an extent as to release a cap that may be placed betweenthe compression-faces of said jaws by the operative.

From-the construction described it will be obvious that a bottle to be capped may be supported upon the bottle-seat a in suitable adjusted position, according to the size of the bottle employed, and that the treadle Z1 being operated the pawl b will be permitted to engage the projections 12 on the head B and motion be therebyimparted to the shaft 19 to operate the toggles B through the con' nection B Movement of the toggles to the left through the devices described causes a simultaneous downward movement of the cone-operating sleeve,the j aw-carryin g sleeve, and the cap-spindle until the last-named part engages the bottle-cap and forces the same upon the bottle with the desired compression, due to the actuator D and roll D whereupon further downward movement of the cap-spindle ceases, the end thereof at such time ongaging with the stud E. As the downward movement of the cap-spindle ceases the toggles further act to force the cone-carrying sleeve downward, the end of the jaw-compression sleeve being carried into engagement with the shoulder d of the cap-spindle,

when further downward movement of they jaw-compression sleeve ceases. At this time the toggles have approached, but not yet reached, the line joining their pivots b and b, and their further movement is exerted directly upon the cone-carrying sleeve to force the cone 0 downward between the ends of the compression-fingers 0 thus compressing the cap held between the compression-faces of the jaws firmly upon the bottle. As the toggles pass the line joining the pivots b and b the cone-carrying sleeve is raised from between the upper ends of the compressionjaws, thus freeing the lower ends from the cap, the cap-spindle, however, by virtue of the engagement of the roller D with the curved surface 01 of the actuator D, remaining firmly seated upon the bottle-cap, holding the same firmly and securely thereon. As the toggles thus break or pass to the right, Fig. 3, the pin 13 of the toggles contacts with the adjusting-screw e of the slide-actuating lever E, causing the lower arm thereof to move the slide 0 and pawl 0 to turn the jaw-carrying sleeve to thus bring the faces of the jaws G into a diiforent position with respect to the bottle-cap. As the toggles now start on their return movement the cone-carrying sleeve is again depressed, the upper ends of the com pression-jaws thus separated, and a second compression given to the cap upon the bottle. By the mechanism thus described it will be noted that not only is the flangeofthecapcircumferentiallycompressed upon the bottle-neck by a repeated compression force similarly applied, but the toggle devices serve as a simple and relatively indestructible means for operating the sealing devices, and there is a simplification of parts and direct-acting instrn mentalities, and while certain specific parts have been described it is to be understood that our invention is not limited to these matters, they being only one of the forms in whichonr invention may be embodied.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bottle-sealing machine, the combination of a cone-operating sleeve carrying a cone, a jaw-carrying sleeve concentric to and within said cone-operating sleeve and carrying a plurality of compression -jaws, a capspindle concentric to said jaw-carrying sleeve, and means for moving said sleeves and spindle simultaneously downward and continuing the downward movement of the cone-carrying sleeve after the jaw-carrying sleeve and spindle have been brought to rest.

2. In a bottle-sealing machine, the combination of a cone-operating sleeve, a jaw-carrying sleeve, and a cap-spindle, said parts being concentrically arranged, a toggle for reciprocating said parts, and means operative from the toggle for rotating the jaw-carrying sleeve.

3. In a bottle-sealing machine, the combination of a cone-operating sleeve, a jaw-carrying sleeve, and a cap-spindle, said parts being concentrically arranged, a toggle connected to the cone-operating sleeve for reciprocating it, a cap-spindle actuator, and a roller carried by the toggle for operating said actuator to reciprocate said cap-spindle and maintain it in depressed position.

4. In a bottle-sealing machine, the combination of a cone-operating sleeve, a jaw-carrying. sleeve rotatably mounted within the cone-operating sleeve, and a reciprocallymounted cap-spindle, a toggle connected to the cone-operating sleeve for reciprocating the same, means operable from the toggle for reciprocating the cap-spindle and maintaining the same in depressed position during part of the reciprocations of the cone-operating sleeve.

5. The combination of a cone-operating sleeve, a cap-spindle, a toggle for simultaneously and relatively reciprocating the said sleeve and spindle, a jaw-carrying sleeve carrying jaws and interposed between the coneoperating sleeve and cap-spindle, means for moving the toggle to straighten the links thereof to give one compression movement to the compression-jaws and continuing the movement in the same direction for releasing said jaws, and thereafter imparting a return movement to the toggle to give a second compression movement to the jaws.

6. In a bottle-sealing machine, the combination of a cone-operating sleeve carrying a cone, a jaw-carrying sleeve concentric to and within said cone-operating sleeve, a plurality of jaw-sections constituting a compressingjaw, the inner or compressing faces of which are regular in contour and thereby adapted to circumferentially compress an annular band of metal without bendingit in any portion of its length, a cap-spindle concentric to said jaw-carrying sleeve, and means for moving said sleeve and spindle simultaneously downward and continuing the downward movement of the cone-carrying sleeve after the jaw-carrying sleeve has been brought to rest.

- In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures this 10th day of October, A. D. 1902.

NATHANIEL B. ABBOTT. CHARLES J. MARKS. Witnesses:

MURRAY HANSON, BENJAMIN W. BERRY. 

